I'm glad to know my seven-year-old isn't the only one asking for a phone at that age!
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someone elseMar 31 '11 at 17:40

Our neighborhood is a small, close community and our neighbors let their 8 year old son play alone. They did not want him to get a cellphone, so they got him a walkie-talkie set so he could contact them and vice versa.
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IdaAug 11 '14 at 17:45

6 Answers
6

Ideally, when they are old enough to raise enough money, on their own, for buying the phone and paying of the monthly plans.

This will change with the child's lifestyle and community though. A cellphone is a useful way to keep track of where your kids are, and is incredibly useful in emergencies. If you're living in a highly urban area and your children spend significant time unsupervised or in transition, a cheap phone and plan can become a necessity.

What does needing a cell phone entail? They must be in some kind of a situation that requires it. This can include driving, frequent after school activities, school projects, etc. But if they pretty much just go to school and family activities, then there isn't as much of a need.

Also note that having one's own phone isn't the only solution. My son is 8, and doesn't need his own mobile at this point. However, if he is going to be somewhere where plans might change suddenly, one of the adults in the family (usually me) will leave our phone with him so that the adult-in-charge isn't assumed to foot the bill for all the kids' calls home. Also, he can and does text from his laptop.
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HedgeMageMar 31 '11 at 2:35

In 2007 Belgian pediatricians seeked media attention to state that children younger then 16 should not have a cellphone. Here is a description in Dutch Brief translation:
Belgian doctors would like to forbid cellphone use by children younger then 16. Although there is no scientific sound proof, they still deemed a warning appropriate. Apparently some study showed an increase in brain temperature in kids. I did a quick google search and found an english page on the matter.
When I searched Pubmed I did not find conclusive evidence against cellphone use.

The effects on of cell phone use on the brain has been very widely discussed and investigated. Oddly, all those studies come up with very different results and recommendations. For now, I think the parents shouldn't be overly panicked but use sound judgment. A cell phone is not plutonium; it's okay to use a couple of minutes per day, but it shouldn't be exaggerated.
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Torben Gundtofte-BruunMar 30 '11 at 15:33

You are just rephrasing the links ;) The only valid point they make is that the anatomy of a child is weaker then that of an adult and that the heating effect of the brain is thus stronger. Alcohol is also not plutonium, still I would not allow my kids to drink before 16.
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user35Mar 30 '11 at 15:41

Our own thoughts regarding this: when our son is old enough to go to and from school on his own, at which point we'd want him to have one. We've tentatively put this at 12 (but we've reserved the right to push that out further :). He is 8 at the moment and has been asking for a cellphone for about a year.

"How old" can't be said in a numerical answer, but rather in terms of maturity. Above all though, if there's no real need for a phone, the child shouldn't have one.

Parents must decide case-by-case, depending on how they thnk the kids will use the newfangled technology. Is the child mature enough to use it in time of need, and not just to gossip with peers?

To minimize cost and bad behaviour, make sure the phone can call and send texts, and nothing else! (At the risk of being teased for only having a stone-age phone.) Cameras, games, etc. are dangerous distractions to young minds.

... and remember, we all grew up without cell phones and we managed fine anyway.

We also grew up with the wide availability of pay phones, so we didn't need cell phones like we do today.
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afrazierMar 30 '11 at 18:26

True, and today there are nearly no public phones left. It's uncertain whether to ask a stranger to borrow his cell. Worrying. But then again, I actually used a public phone maybe ten times in all.
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Torben Gundtofte-BruunMar 30 '11 at 19:57

I didn't need it often either, but if it was "walk home from school in the pouring rain" or "use the pay phone and see if mom can come get me," I made sure I had a quarter!
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afrazierMar 30 '11 at 20:04

2

I grew up without cell phones or pay phones and managed to survive, so afrazier's anecdote is countermanded by my own :)
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BryanHApr 5 '11 at 22:31

When their privileges dictate a need for one. I would say when you feel your children are mature enough to be allowed to do certain events without adult supervision, or events a substantial distance from you, get them a phone to use during those events. These events could be hanging out at the mall or participating in after school events, either way this gives the initial impression that a phone is a tool and not a toy. Then from that point progress to full time phone possession as you see fit.